Nelson Asofa-Solomona

Nelson Asofa-Solomona
Personal information
Born (1996-02-29) 29 February 1996
Wellington, New Zealand
Height 201 cm (6 ft 7 in)
Weight 115 kg (18 st 2 lb)
Playing information
Position Second-row, Prop

Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2015– Melbourne Storm 77 8 0 0 32
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2017– New Zealand 4 1 0 0 4
As of 16 February 2018
Source: [1][2]

Nelson Asofa-Solomona (born 29 February 1996) is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who plays for the Melbourne Storm in the National Rugby League. He plays as a prop and second-row. Asofa-Solomona is a New Zealand international representative.[1] Asofa-Solomona won the 2017 NRL Premiership with the Storm.

Early Life

Born in Wellington, New Zealand, Asofa-Solomona is of Samoan and Irish descent.[3] Asofa-Solomona grew up playing rugby union for Upper Hutt Rugby Football Club before playing rugby league. He played his junior rugby league for the Upper Hutt Tigers and Wellington Orcas junior representative team whilst playing rugby union at Wellington College. He was then signed by the Melbourne Storm at 15-years of age.

Playing career

Asofa-Solomona playing for Storm-Sharks team in 2014

2014

In 2014, Asofa-Solomona played for the Melbourne Storm's NYC team.[4] On 2 September, he was named at second-row in the 2014 NYC Team of the Year.[5] On 18 October, he played for the Junior Kiwis against the Junior Kangaroos at second-row in the Kiwis' 15-14 win at Mount Smart Stadium.[6]

2015

In 2015, Asofa-Solomona graduated to the Storm's Queensland Cup team, Sunshine Coast Falcons.[7] In Round 8 of the 2015 NRL season, he made his NRL debut for the Melbourne Storm against the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, playing off the interchange bench in the Storms' 12-10 loss at AAMI Park.[8][9][10] On 2 May, he again played for the Junior Kiwis against the Junior Kangaroos, playing at prop in the Kiwis' 22-20 loss at Cbus Super Stadium.[11][12] In Round 20 against the St George Illawarra Dragons, he scored his first NRL career try in the Storm's 22-4 win at McLean Park.[13] He finished off his debut year in the NRL having played in 12 matches and scoring 1 try.[14]

2016

On 1 February, Asofa-Solomona was named in the Storm's 2016 NRL Auckland Nines squad.[15] Asofa-Solomona finished the 2016 NRL season with him playing in 15 matches for the Storm.

2017

In February 2017, Asofa-Solomona was named in the Storm squad for the 2017 NRL Auckland Nines.[16] In April 2017, Asofa-Solomona was called into the New Zealand Kiwis squad with a view to making his international debut against the Kangaroos but had to withdraw due to a hand injury.[17] On 6 July 2017, Asofa-Solomona extended his contract with the Melbourne Storm to the end of the 2019 season.[18] On 1 October 2017, in the Storm’s 2017 NRL Grand Final match against the North Queensland Cowboys, Asofa-Solomona played off the interchange bench in the 34-6 victory.[19][20] Asofa-Solomona finished his successful 2017 NRL season with him playing in 26 matches and scoring 4 tries for the Storm. On 5 October 2017, Asofa-Solomona was named in the New Zealand Kiwis 24-man squad for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.[21] On 28 October 2017, Asofa-Solomona made his international test debut for New Zealand against Samoa, where he played off the interchange bench and scored 1 try in the 38-8 win at Mt Smart Stadium.[22]

2018

Asofa-Solomona was part of the victorious 2018 World Club Challenge and was awarded Man of the Match award. He was also part of the Melbourne Storm team that played in the 2018 NRL Grand Final.

Honours

Club

Individual

References

  1. 1 2 "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  2. ↑ loverugbyleague
  3. ↑ "'So much ability it is really not funny'". Heraldsun.com.au. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
  4. ↑ "NYC Trump Storm 38-8". Rabbitohs.com.au. Retrieved 2015-04-25.
  5. ↑ "Holden Cup Team Of The Year Announced". Rugbyleagueweek.com.au. 2014-09-02. Archived from the original on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2015-04-25.
  6. ↑ "2014 JUNIOR KIWIS TEAM ANNOUNCED". Rugbyleagueweek.com.au. 2014-10-10. Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 2015-03-13.
  7. ↑ "Feeder Team Update - Round 7 - Storm". Melbournestorm.com.au. Retrieved 2015-12-20.
  8. ↑ "Late mail: Round 8 - Storm". Melbournestorm.com.au. Retrieved 2015-04-25.
  9. ↑ "Craig Bellamy is Weighing Up Whether to Pick Veteran Tom Learoyd-Lahrs and Teenage Monster Nelson Asofa-Solomona". Heraldsun.com.au. Retrieved 2015-12-20.
  10. ↑ "Biting Allegation Against Jesse Bromwich Sours Storm 22-4 Win Over Dragons". Heraldsun.com.au. Retrieved 2015-12-20.
  11. ↑ "Representative Round team lists". NRL.com. 2015-04-28. Retrieved 2015-12-20.
  12. ↑ "Junior Roos hold on in thriller". NRL.com. 2015-05-02. Retrieved 2015-12-20.
  13. ↑ "Biting Allegation Against Jesse Bromwich Sours Storm 22-4 Win Over Dragons". Heraldsun.com.au. Retrieved 2015-12-20.
  14. ↑ "Custom Match List". Rugby League Project. 2015-10-23. Retrieved 2015-12-22.
  15. ↑ "Storm name youthful Nines squad". NRL.com. Retrieved 2016-02-01.
  16. ↑ "2017 Auckland Nines squads: Every player named for the tournament". The Roar. 28 February 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  17. ↑ "Kiwis' new boy Nelson Asofa-Solomona ruled out of Kangaroos Test with hand injury". Newshub.co.nz. 5 October 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
  18. ↑ "Size does matter: Storm signs giants". Heraldsun.com.au. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
  19. ↑ Bungard, Matt (1 October 2017). "NRL grand final 2017: How the Melbourne Storm players rated". Smh.com.au. Retrieved 5 October 2017 – via The Sydney Morning Herald.
  20. ↑ "Super Storm crowned NRL premiers". Couriermail.com.au. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
  21. ↑ "Kiwis name depleted Rugby League World Cup team". Nzherald.co.nz. 5 October 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
  22. ↑ "Young foward [sic] Nelson Asofa-Solomona gives Kiwis hope for future". Stuff.
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